Controlling means for adhesive



0d 27, 1942- G. w. voN HoFE GONTROLLING MEANS FOR ADHESIVE APPLYINGAPPARATUS 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed June 3, 1941 Oct. 27, 1942.

G. w. voN Hor-'E 2,300,078

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR ADH'ESIVE APPLYING APPARATUS Filed June 3,; 1941 2Sheets-Sheet 2- INVENTOR. GEORGE X4( fo/V alc-5 BY MM A TTO/P/VEY imanner.

Patented Oct. 27, 1942 CON TBOLLING MEANS FOR ADHESIVE APPLYINGAPPARATUS George W. von Hofe, Bound Brook, N. J., assignor to New JerseyMachine Corporation, Hoboken, N. J., a corporation of New JerseyApplication June 3, 1941, Serial No. 396,402 claim.` (o1. 21e-5s)applying adhesive to labels in labeling machines,

and has for its object to provide a novel controlling means for suchapparatus whereby the application of adhesive to the labels or theirequivalent, is effected in a simple and efficient The inventioncontemplates further the provision of a novel electrically operatedcontrolling means whereby the application of adhesive is controlled independence upon the presenoe of a label or its equivalent, in correctand predetermined applying position on the label carrying means. Otherobjects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features ofnovelty will be pointed out in the claims.

' In the accompanying drawings which illustrate an example of theinvention without defining its limits,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of a labelingmachine with the novel controlling means embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the adhesive applying apparatus and itsnovel controlling means;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view of the controlling means as itappears in Fig. 1, with the parts in different positions Fig. 4 is adetail horizontal section on an enlarged scale, on the line 4-4 of Fig.2, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of the apparatus and theelectrical controlling means looking ln the direction of the arrow inFig. 1.

For purposes of illustration and description and without intent todefine the limits of the invention, the novel controlling means iscombined with an adhesive applying apparatus as embodied in a labelingmachine of the type disclosed in the Apfelbaum Patent No. 1,711,257, of

, April ao, 1929.

to be labeled is mounted in any convenient way.

Suitable means is provided for enabling the suction head I2 to pick upterminal labels I3 from the upper end of the supply stack at the labelpick-up station and for adjusting said suction head I2 on the carriageI0 at the label applying station to apply the carried labels to thearticles A on the support I5. During the travel from the label pick-upstation to the label applying station the label I3 carried by thesuction head I2 in correct applying position at the time, receives anapplication of adhesive from a suitable adhesive applying apparatus.

The latter in the illustrated example, consists of an adhesive applyingroller I6 in tangential receiving relation to or contact with anadhesive distributing roller I'I which dips into a supply of suitableadhesive contained in a receptacle I8 supported in any convenient manneron a bed plate I9 forming part of the frame of the machine.

The distributing roller Il is fixed upon a shaft 20 `which is rotatablymounted in bearing brackets 2| projecting upwardly from the bed plateI9while the applying roller I6 is carried by a shaftf22 journalled inbearing blocks 23 movably mounted in guideways 24 provided in levers 25pivoted on the shaft 20; for the purpose of yieldingly maintaining theroller I6 in adhesive receiving relation or contact with the roller l1,

. springs 26 may be located between the bearing blocks 23 and the endportions of the levers 25. 'I'he latter are connected by a cross-rod 2land each has a lug 28 movable vbetween stop screws 29 mounted in ears 30forming integral parts of the bearing brackets 2|.

The novel controlling means for the adhesive apparatus comprises a mainoperating rod 3| having its upper end formed with a fork 3lnl pivotallyconnected with the cross-rod 2l and provided at its lower end with aforked member 32 which slidably straddles a driving or power shaft 33included in the labeling machine, said shaft 33 being actuated in anysuitable manner as shown for instance in the Apfelbaum patent referredto hereinafter. A roller 34 is mounted on the forked member 32 inrolling engagement with a suitable cam 35 fixed upon the shaft 33, saidcam 35 in cooperation with the roller 34 controlling the operation ofthe rod 3l in a manner to adjust the adhesive applying roller I6 to andfrom its operative position in the normal operation of the machine. l

A sleeve 36 is rotatably mounted on a pivot pin 3l projecting from abracket 38 secured to and extending downwardly from the bed plate I9. Avalve arm 39 preferably forming an integral part of the sleeve 36extends therefrom in a substantially horizontal direction and at itsfree end carries a valve 40 preferably mounted on the arm 39 s0 as to beadjustable relatively thereto. The

valve 40 is arranged to control the vacuum opening of a suitablysupported valve casing 4I which is connected preferably by means of aexible tube l2 with a conventional source of suction, such as a vacuumpump; in addition the valve casing 4I is connected by means of apreferably flexible tube 43 with the previously ijnentioned suction headI2. A spring 99 has its one end ,secured to the outer end,V of the arm39 and its other end connected with a screwthreaded hook 45 adjustablymounted on the bed plate I9 by means of a nut 99 and a lock nut 4l.'I'he spring acts to normally maintain the valve I9 in an open positionand to return it thereto as will appear more fully from the descriptionhereinafter.

The novel controlling means further comprises an auxiliary operating rodIl@ located in spaced parallel relation to the main operating rod 3iwith its lower end slidably straddling the shaft 33 and carrying aroller 99; the latter is in rolling engagement with a suitable cam 59secured upon the shaft 33 to rotate therewith. At its upper end theauxiliary rod 95 carries a bracket 5I in slidable engagement with themain rod 3i for guiding the auxiliary rod 98 in its vertical movements.A spring 52 has its one end secured at 53 to a collar 59 adjustablyiixed upon the main operating rod 3i and its other end fastened at 55 tothe auxiliary operating rod 98; the spring 52 serves to yieldinglymaintain the rollers 39 and 49 in rolling engagement with the respectivecams 35 and 50 and to otherwise act on said rods 3l and 98 as will bepointed out more fully hereinafter. The bracket 5I includes an uprightarm 56 from which transverse members 5l and 58 project in horizontaldirections above and below the valve arm 39 respectively, in spacedrelation thereto. The members 51 and 58 carry adjustable projections,for instance, in the form of screws 59 and 69 respectively, located invertical registry l with said arm 93.

'I'he electrically operated means for controlling the adjustment of theadhesive applying apparatus to its operative position in dependence uponthe presence of a label or its equivalent, in correct and predeterminedapplying position on the suction head I2, comprises an electromagneticcoil or solenoid 6I, the core 62 of which is connected with thecross-rod 2l for instance at a point between the legs of the fork 3l, asshown in Fig. 5. A Wire 63 extends from the solenoid 6I to a switch 64of conventional type which is further connected by means of a wire 65with a source of electricity such as a battery or generator 66. Thelatter in turn is connected by means of a wire 61 with the other side ofthe solenoid 6Iv to complete the electric circuit.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the switch 612 is located in operativeproximity to and in registry with the valve arm 39, or more specificallythe means whereby the valve 40 is adjustably mounted on said valve arm39.

In the operation of the labeling machine referred to herein, thecarriage I0 is'reciprocated on the guideways II by suitable mechanismas,`

applying station, the label I3 carried by the suction head I 2 passes intangential contact with the adhesive applying roller I6 and receives anapplication of adhesive therefrom. When the applying station is reached,the carried label I3 is deposited on the article A on the support, for

instance, by moving the suction head I2 downwardLy on the carriage I9.During these operative steps the suction in the suction head l2 lscontrolled in operative synchronism therewith to eiect the desiredresults. i9 is at that stage in the operative cycle at which the labeli3 carried by the suction head I 2 is about to be adhesively applied tothe article A on the support I5. Inproper timing with this applicationof the label I3 to the article A the cam 59 in cooperation with theroller i9 and spring 52 raises the auxiliary rod 98 which carries withit the bracket 5I and causes the screw 59 thereof to engage and swingthe valve arm 39 in a direction to shift the valve 46 away from thevalve casing I to open the vacuum opening thereof. The suction in thesuction head I2 is thus relieved to release the particular label i3 andthereafter the suction head I2 is returned to the raised position on thecarriage I0 shown in Fig. 1.

The carriage ID is then shifted to the left on the guideways il toreturn the suction headl 'I2 to the pick-up station ready to remove thenext successive terminal label I3 from the supply stack thereat. Inproper synchronism with this movement of the carriage I9 to the left inFig. 1, the cam 35 acting on the roller 34 raises the main operating rod35 and thereby rocks the levers 25 on the cross-rod 2l in a direction toshift the adhesive applying roller I6 to an inoperative position belowthe path of travel of the active face of the suction head I2; thisoperation of adjusting the adhesive applying roller I6 to an inoperativeposition is assisted by the action of the solenoid 6I on its core 62, itbeing understood that the electric circuit in which the solenoid islocated is closed by the action of the valve lever 39 on the switch 64when the valve 99 is moved to its open position as previously described.In this inoperative position the adhesive applying roller I6 does notcontact with the active face of the suction head I2 and the latteraccordingly is not covered or soiled with adhesive during the returnmovement of the carriage I 9 toward the left. The adhesive applyingroller I6 will be retained, in its inoperative position as long as thesolenoid 6I is electrically energized, which energization continues aslong as the auxiliary operating rod 93 remains in its raised position tocause the screw 69 to maintain the valve lever 39 in a raised positionwith the valve 40 in its open position. The adhesive applying roller I5is thereby ternporarily locked in its inoperative position.

As the operative cycle proceeds, the auxiliary operating rod 49 is moveddownwardly by the action of the cam 59 on the roller 49 and carries withit the bracket 5I which is thereby slidably shifted in a downwarddirection on the main operating rod 3I. The screw 59 movable with thebracket 5I is accordingly caused to engage and rock the valve arm 39 ina direction to'shift the valve 49 against the tension of the spring 44into engagement with the casing 4I to close the vacuum opening thereofwhereby suction is again developed in the suction head I 2. Theaforesaid movement of the valve arm 39 away from the switch 64 breaksthe electric circuit in which the Solenoid 6I is located and accordinglyde-ener- In Fig. 1 the carriage i label I3 of the supply stack and thesuction head I2 are brought into surface engagement with each other. Ifthis surface engagement is such as to correctly position said label I3on the active surface of said suction head I2, a vacuum will bedeveloped in the suction line and the valve 40 will be held in itsclosed position by atmospheric pressure, and cause the current terminallabel I3 Vto be picked up from the supply stack by said suction head I2.

With the solenoid 6I de-energized and the core B2 thereof free to moverelatively to said solenoid, the cam 35 and roller 34 in co-operationwith the spring 52 will pull the main operating rod .I downwardly andpivotally actuate the levers 25 to shift the adhesive applying roll I6to the operative position shown in Fig. 1. In continuing the operativecycle, the carriage I moves toward the right in Fig. 1 along theguideways II from the pick-up station to the label applying station, andthe label I3 held in place on the suction head I2 -by atmosphericpressure will pass in tangential contact with said adhesive applyingroller I6 and will receive an application of adhesive therefrom beforethe label applying station is reached. At the latter station the labelI3 will be applied to an article A on the support I5 in the mannerpreviously described after which the carriage I0 again moves to the leftin Fig. 1 to bring the suction head I2 in position at the pick-upstation to pick up the next succeeding terminal label I3 from the top ofthe supply stack.

If the label I3 as it is picked up by the suction head I2 is incorrectlypositioned thereon or no label I3 is picked up from the supply stack,air will leak through the uncovered holes in the suction head I2 andreduce the effect of the vacuum on the inner face of the valve 40 andpermit the spring M to open said valve 40 due to the lost motion betweenthe arm 39 and the screw 59. As the valve 40 is thus opened the switch64 will be actuated thereby to close the electric circuit in which thesolenoid BI is located and thereby electrically energize said solenoid.As a result the core 62 will be held in its raised position within thesolenoid 6I and the main rod 3| will be locked against downward movementto thereby prevent the adhesive applying roller I6 from being shifted toits operative position at the label line.

Because of these operative steps the suction head I2 with theincorrectly positioned label I3 thereon or with no label in place on itsactive surface will not engage the adhesive applying roller I6 andconsequently will not be contaminated or soiled with adhesive therefrom.As soon as the incorrectly positioned label I3 has been removed from thesuction head I2 or the latter in the continued operation of the machinethereafter picks up a successive label I3 at the label pick-up stationin proper position on its active surface, the controlling means willautomatically resume its normal operation and will continue to sooperate until another label I3 is improperly positioned on the suctionhead I2 or no label is picked up thereby.

During an operative period of the machine, the lug 23 in cooperationwith the stop screws 29, serves to arrest the rocking movements of thelevers 25 and to insure the correct location of the adhesive applyingroller I5 in its recurrent operative position.

From the aforesaid description it will be clear that the controllingmeans controls the adhesive applying means in 4a manner to insureapplications of adhesive only to labels properly posi -,.l

tioned on the suction head, and to definitely prevent the application ofadhesive to the active face of the suction head if it has failed, forsome reason, to properly pick up a label at the pick-up station. Thenovel controlling means is simple in construction and efllcient inoperation and requires no particular supervision at any time. The saidcontrolling means is capable of being installed in existing labelingmachines without material dimculty.

Various changes in the specific form shown and described may be madewithin the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

I claim:

1. In an adhesive applying apparatus including an adhesive applyingroller movable from an inoperative to an operative position and viceversa, that improvement which comprises a suction line, a valvecontrolling said suction line to render the suction effective andnon-eiective to develop a vacuum therein, operating means for shiftingsaid adhesive applying roller to its operative position and to itsinoperative position, and electrical means controlled by the existenceand non-existence of a vacuum in said suction line and serving toprevent shifting of the adhesive applying roll from one of saidpositions to the other when no vacuum exists in the suction line.

2. In an adhesive applying apparatus including an adhesive applyingroller movable from an inoperative to an operative position and viceversa, that improvement which comprises a suction line, a valvecontrolling said suction line to render the suction effective andnon-eil'ective to develop a vacuum therein, operating means for shiftingsaid adhesive applying roller to its operative position and to itsinoperative position, and electric locking means controlled by saidvalve for locking said operating means against operation when no vacuumexists in said suction line to thereby maintain said adhesive applyingroller in its inoperative position.

3. In an adhesive -applying apparatus including pivotally mountedlevers, and an adhesive applying roller rotatably mounted on saidlevers, that improvement which comprises a suction line having a vacuumopening, operating means for pivotally rocking said levers to adjustsaid adhesive applying roller from an inoperative to an operativeposition and vice versa, a valve for controlling said vacuum opening torender the suction effective and non-eiective to develop vacuum in saidsuction line in dependence upon the position of said valve, the latterbeing held in its closed position by atmospheric pressure when a vacuumexists in said suction line, a spring for opening said valve when novacuum exists in said suction line, electric locking means, and anelectric switch in circuit with said locking means controlled by saidvalve to lock said operating means against operation when no vacuumexists in said suction line to thereby maintain said adhesive applyingroller in its inoperative position.

4. In a labeling machine including means for supporting a supply stackof labels, means for supporting articles to be labeled, a suctiontransfer head for removing terminal labels from said stack anddepositing said labels on said articles, and adhesive applying means forapplying adhesive to said labels during transfer from the supply stackto the articles, said adhesive applying means being movable from aninoperative to an operative position and vice versa, that improvementwhich comprises a suction line connected with the suction head andprovided with a. vacuum op-ening, the development of a vacuum in saidsuction line being dependent upon the presence of a label on saidsuction head, operating means for shifting said adhesive applying meansto its operative position, a valve for controlling said vacuum openingand held in its closed position by atmospheric pressure when a vacuumexists in said suction line, electric locking means, and an electricswitch in circuit with said locking means operated by said valve in itsopen position to close said circuit whereby said operating means isprevented from shifting said adhesive applying means from itsinoperative toits operative position when said valve occupies said openposition because of the non-existence of a vacuum in said suction linedue to the absence of or incorrect positioning of a label on saidsuction head.

5. In an adhesive applying apparatus including pivotally mounted levers,and an adhesive applying roller rotatably mounted on said levers,

that improvement which comprises a suction line having a vacuum opening,a main operating rod connected with said levers, means whereby said mainoperating rod is actuated to rock said levers and adjust said adhesiveapplying roller from an inoperative to an operative position and viceversa, a valve for controlling said vacuum opening to render saidsuction effective andnon-effective to develop a vacuum in said suctionline in dependence upon the position of said valve, a movable valve armcarrying said valve, a spring for normally maintaining said valve in itsopen position and for returning it thereto, auxiliary means co-operatingwith said valve arm for initially closing said valve and -for openingthe same, said valve being held in its closed position independently ofsaid co-operating means by atmospheric pressure when a vacuum exists insaid suction line, a solenoid connected with a source of electricity andincluding a core connected with said levers, and an electric switch incircuit with said source of electricity and said solenoid operated bysaid valve when the latter is in its open position to thereby energizesaid solenoid and lock said main operating rod against operation andmaintain said adhesive applying roller in its inoperative position.

GEORGE W. VON HOFE.

